Archive for August 29, 2013

As August runs itself out into Labor Day weekend, everyone deserves a last break. So this Saturday we corralled a few discount deals that will see you into September. We have three crisp wines from the Loire and two expansive Spanish reds that should fill out the holiday weekend. Come wet your whistle.

2012 Couronne & Lions, Sancerre Blanc $15Sauvignon BlancMore grassy and citrus heavy than mineral packed, but a good deal at the price which puts it down where it can out preform NZ. Was $20 now $15

2008 Almanseñas, La Huella de Adaras $960% Garnacha , 30% Monastrell, 10% Syrah
From the town of Almansa in south east Spain. The La Huella is from 30 year old vines fermented in stainless. “An enticing nose of smoke, underbrush, and blue fruits leading to a supple, mouth-filling, savory wine with excellent depth and length” WA —Was $12 now $9

2011 Casa Castaño, Monastrell $10From Yecla, just south of Almansa, Castano makes this Monestrell from 31 year old vines. A full, ripe red fruited Monastrell that has a lot of concentration for the price. Silky mouth with a good structure, balanced.Was $12 now $10

2010 Botromagno Gravina ($11)60% Grecco, 40% Malvasia
Gravina is one of the oldest viticultural zones in Puglia; that the Botromagno co-op is the only producer in this long-recognized DOC is testament to the quality of their wines. Botromagno Gravina is a dry, delicate white composed of 60% Greco and 40% Malvasia. Abundant aromas of peach, white currant, and fresh wildflowers introduce a similarly generous palate. Enjoy with oysters, shellfish, and a wide array of Asian cuisines.

2011 Erste + Nueu Kaltereresee Leuchternburg ($13)Schiava (Vernatch)
A light bodied red with lots of cherry flavors and soft tannins from the german speaking part of the Tyrolian Alps.
This is a single vineyard wine made from Venatsch (Schiava) the smaller berried cousin to the Edelvenatch.

This Saturday we’re pouring some wines from the sunny French countryside that fit perfectly with our lingering summer. The wines are fresh and expansive and are quite suitable to the other seasons as well. Come have a taste.

2012 Joseph Drouhin, Macon Villages $12ChardonnayJoseph Drouhin is so renowned for their Cru Burgundies that it is easy to forget that they make some delicious everyday wines as well. The Macon Village is lightly floral and fruity. “Very straightforward and direct on the palate, as if biting into a grape. Fresh and light, with a very pleasant aftertaste”.

2012 D’or et de Gueules Les Cimels Rosé $13 34% Cinsaut, 33% Grenache, 33% MourvedreFrom the South of France, the Les Cimels is a dry and elegantly full blend with flavors of strawberry, mineral, and sweet herbs. It is complex enough to drink year round.

2010 Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Villages $12GamayA truly convivial wine, with great charm, owing to the careful blending of various terroirs. The nose is both refined and intense, with notes of violet, peony and red fruit syrup. As you drink it, it feels fresh and silky. Both freshness and fruit remain for quite a long time on the palate”.

2010 Domaine de Piaugier, Sablet $1575% Grenache, 25% Syrah Domaine de Piaugier is located in the village of Sablet, in the southern Rhône valley. Jean-Marc Autran, whose father and grandfather before him were wine growers, and his wife, Sophie, cultivate 30 hectares of vines. The wine has lots of dark fruit, notes of smoked meats and herbs and a good tannic finish.

2009 Lyonnat Lussac Saint-Emilion $2485% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc. A long standing family estate in this satellite of St. Emillion Lyonnat is a classic right bank Bordeaux. It has a nose of spice cake, licorice and red fruit. The palate is powerful and smooth, with very elegant and blended tannins.

Lopez de Heredia, founded in 1877, is one of the oldest wineries in Rioja and still makes their wine in the traditional manner, from their own vineyards. Fermentation takes place in their 72 large oak vats, some of which are 139 years old. After fermentation, the wines are ready to be aged, in 14,000 hand-made American oak barrels. The wines remain in the underground cellars, stored at perfect temperature and tranquility. This Saturday we’ll be pouring some of their wines long with a couple of upstarts. Come compare the difference.

2011 Buil & Gine, Nosis, Rueda $17Xavier Buil and his wife Anna own vineyards in Priorat, Montsant, Toro and Rueda. Their motto is “passion for fruit, appreciation of wood and respect for the soil.” The Nosis is 100% Verdejo from 35 year old vines in the Fuente la Miel vineyard. The vines grow in sandy and rocky soils with a foundation of clay. It has zesty citrus aromas with a peach and spice notes.

2003 Lopez de Heredia, Gravonia $26100% Viura Gravonia wines come from the Viña Zaconia vineyard, all of which is 45 year old Viura vines. The south-facing slopes are poor and stony, and roots are forced to go deep – hence grapes have balanced biological composition and ripen with complex flavors. The Gravonia ages for 4 years in barrel, being racked twice a year before release. The wine is complex and developed with notes of flowers, stone fruit, spice, and nutty character.

2007 Sabor Real Crianza $13TempranilloSabor started in 2003 by a group of grape growers from the Zamorana de Toro area, who wanted to pool together to create something special. The vineyards are all over 40 years old, with a significant amount hitting 100 years of age. The Sabor has tamed the tannic, wild side of Tinto de Toro and enhance the concentrated fruit and power of these old vines. The wine over-delivers big-time with blackberry, cherry and tobacco flavors fill the palate with a big, rich finish.

2005 Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo $2565% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacho, 10% Mazuelo & GracianoFrom the vineyard Viña Cubillas, whose vines average 40 years of age. The soil is from the tertiary age and is a mixture of clay and limestone. The wine ages for three years, being racked twice per year before release. It is fresh and slight aroma to licorice with consistent texture and persistent aroma.

Buil & Gine Vermut $25 This artisan made vermouth is made from Macabeo and Garnacha Blanc and infused with more than 110 different plants for several years in a wooden barrels. It has powerful flavors of a Mediterranean forest (rosemary, eucalyptus, thyme, fennel, tobacco leaf) along with tones of old wood floor after a rain, truffle, honey, artichoke, thyme and fennel.

This Sunday we will be tasting two lovely French wines from Château De Flaugergues. The Château is situated in one of the twelve terroirs found in the Côteaux du Languedoc known as ‘La Mejanelle’.

The Romans cultivated vines and olives here over 2000 years ago. The monks of Grand Mont maintained this tradition, and after them the ancestors of the current owners have continued to do so from 1696 until today.

This exceptional terroir is made up of rounded pebbles calles ‘les Grés’ (from deposits in the Rhone delta) and thrives in the area’s Mediterranean climate with its strong maritime influence.

The 75 acre vineyard is dominated by early-ripening grapes; it is the harmonious combination of different vines which allows for the creation of such a rich range of fine aromatic wines.

2012 Château De Flaugergues Les Comtes Rosé ($14)60% Grencache, 40% SyrahLanguedoc
A dry and herbal Rosé from the the Languedoc.

2011 Château De Flaugergues Les Comtes ($14)50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre
Languedoc
A dark and spicy Southern French with lots of spice and fruit. Very nice rich and complex nose with notes of spices and red berries.

This Saturday we’ll be pouring some great wines from two Washington wineries. Kestral started in 1999. Their Kestrel View Estate vineyard 1200′ up the Rattlesnake Slope is home to old plantings of Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec dating back to 1972. Alexandria Nicole focuses on small lots of hand-crafted wine from our their Destiny Ridge Estate Vineyard located high above the bluffs on the Columbia River, near the town of Paterson, in the Horse Heaven Hills.

2011 Alexandria Nicole, A Squared Rosé $1296% Pinot Gris, 2% Mourvedre, 2% SyrahThis very pretty, salmon color Rosé boasts a bright bouquet of watermelon, strawberry, and raspberry. The palate starts out broad and fruit filled with cherry, rhubarb and hints of spice which lead to a crisp, yet lingering finish.

2009 Kestrel, Sangiovese $20This estate grown Sangiovese employs a number of different techniques to increase color and intensity. The vines are fan trained to spread the fruit out and improves exposure to sun, with only one bud per spur, and one cluster per shoot, reducing the yield At crush they draw off about 20% of the juice, this intensifies the color and flavors of the remaining wine by increasing the skin to juice ratio, making it darker and richer in body and structure. The wine has aromas of cherry, cassis, blackberry, blueberry and dried herbs, with notes of vanilla, cedar and leather, intertwined with the dark cherry and blackberry.

2010 Kestrel, Tribute Red $2052% Mourvedre, 44% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Sangiovese The Tribute commemorates Kestrel’s founder John Walker. The Merlot lends strength and structure while the Mourvedre introduces beauty and elegance. The wine ages in 30% new French and American oak for 18 months. It is full of ripe dark fruits such as cherry, currant and elderberry accompanied by tobacco, dried herbs, cedar, vanilla, spice and currant jam.

A very crisp Rosé made from Cabernet Franc, Gamay, and Pineau dAnuiswith aromas of fresh strawberries, raspberries and a slight herbal note.

2011 Galtier Garrica $10
A light and herby French red from the Languedoc named after the brush that grows there. 12.5% alcohol by volume

And just for the fun of it, let’s throw in an Italian Sangiovese in a box.

2010 Giacomo Sangiovese Toscana $30Ruby red in the glass with aromas of cherries, plum and a hint of red currant. The palate is loaded with rich, dried cherry flavors that are backed by a note of tangy acidity and moderate tannins. This is an ideal mid-week red that is perfect with pizza, pasta, burgers and roast chicken. 3 liters which works out to $7.50 a bottle.

Hanging from July 3rd to August 31stArtist Eden Hopkins presents six, lively and whimsical portrait paintings of dogs. Several of these lovable canines attentively make eye contact and feature their tongues lolling out. One painting showcases a Chiweenie dog, or a Chihuahua/Dachshund Mix mouthing a tennis ball, ready for play. These original oil paintings are created on 12″H x 12″W cradled panels. See more of Eden’s artwork at www.edenhopkins.comArtist Laura Grover’s portraits of her family are a way of reflecting on the time spent with them. It’s a personal time with each individual, to think upon what they look like, conversations we held together and how we first met. Each paint stroke is intimate and comes with personal feeling. These paintings are just moments that gave me pleasure. Not all family moments will be remembered with such joy and surely need to be recorded.

When Ernst Loosen took over his family estate of ungrafted vines averaging 60 years old in some of the Mozel’s best-rated vineyards, he dramatically reduced the crop size, stopped all chemical fertilization, And he turned to gentler cellar practices that would allow the wine to develop its full potential with a minimum of technological meddling. Later he took over the historic J.L. Wolf estate In the Pfalz, Where the wines are more full-bodied, with higher alcohol and pure flavors of ripe fruit and stone. Come by on Saturday when we’ll be pouring some excellent value wines from the Doctor as well as one of his more developed world class Rieslings.

2012 Ernst Loosen, Villa Wolf, Pinot Noir Rosé $12The Pfalz is a very warm and sunny region, often called “the Tuscany of Germany,” so all of the Pinot varieties do well here. The Villa Wolf Pinot Noir Rosé is a true rosé, made with a brief maceration before pressing to extract color. It is light and refreshing, with deliciously bright berry and fruit flavors and a clean, zippy finish.

2012 Ernst Loosen Villa Wolf, Pinot Gris $13Pinot Gris was first identified in the Pfalz region. Villa Wolf Pinot Gris is made in a full-bodied, dry style with fresh, unoaked fruit and a crisp texture. Half of each vintage is made in large, neutral oak casks for depth and complexity. The other half is done in stainless steel to preserve freshness and enhance the vibrant fruit.

2011 Ernst Loosen Red Slate Dry Riesling $16Made from red slate estate vineyards in Erden and Ürzig, this dry Riesling has an intense minerality that is warm and enveloping. It has floral, spicy, citrus blossom aromas and harmonious flavors with a full, expansive texture. A very expressive wine that is an excellent introduction to the Mosel.

2007 Ernst Loosen Erdener Treppchen Spätlese Riesling $32Erdener Treppchen Spätlese is from a truly “grand cru” vineyard in the village of Erden. Stone steps are built into this vineyard’s steep hillside to reach the vines. The iron-infused, red slate soil produces wines that are muscular and complex, with an intense mineral finish. Wines from Erdener Treppchen are more like a powerful, hard-body rock climber than the graceful ballet dancer. They benefit greatly from a few years in the bottle developing more nuance as they age. The 2007 is showing signs honeysuckle, melon and a bit of diesel.

2011 Ernst Loosen Villa Wolf Dornfelder $10Dornfelder is a crossing developed in 1955 at the Weinsberg Wine School, and was named after the founder. About 20,262 acres (8,200 hectares) of Dornfelder are planted throughout Germany, accounting for 8% of the total vineyard area. Villa Wolf Dornfelder is a fruity, medium-bodied red wine with flavors of plums and cherries balanced by velvety tannins.

Sunday:We’ll have two pleasing French wines open for tasting all day.As well as the artist reception for: